Gripper mechanism for lasting-machines.



Y W. G; CHESLEY. .GRlEPEB MECHANISMIOR LASTING MACHINES;

APPLI ATIQ'N Fl-LED mails. yen,

1,282,191. Patented 00m 22, 1918.,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WARREN G CHESLEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOR, BY MESNE ASSI(EIN'ISLTEN'ILS, TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

GRIPPER MECHANISM FOR LASTING-MAGHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

Application filed March 19, 1917. Serial No. 155,892.

To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known that I, WARREN G. GHESLEY, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Philadelphia,in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Gripper Mechanisms for Lasting-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification,

like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relatesto gripper mechanisms and particularly to power operated gripper mechanisms of lasting machines. It is important, in order to maintain the elficiency of powerlasting machine grippers in which'thegrip'per closing movements are eifected by cams having a constant throw, to provide an adjustment for accurately controlling the extent of normal closure of the jaws, and for taking up wear of the parts. It is the object of this invention to provide an improved adjusting means and particularly one possessingaccuracy and firmness of adjustment in asuperior degree. One feature of the invention consists in the combination with a bar and a jaw fixed on the bar, of a jaw movably connected with the bar, a cam onthe bar operative to assist in the closing of the movable jaw, and a wedge adjustment for the cam.

This and other features of the invention, including certain combinations of parts and more important details of construction will now be described, with the aid of the accompanying drawings and will then be pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a side view partly in section, of a gripper of the type shown in Ladd and Stiggins, United States Letters Patent No. 1,005,234, and equipped with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of parts of the adjusting mechanism.

The gripper in which the invention is herein shown as embodied for illustrative purposes comprises a bar 1 having a ball head 2 from which it is suspended and having a guideway for the push rod 3 that is connected by a link 4 with the upper end of swinging jaw 5. The jaw 5 cotiperates with a jaw 6 that is rigidly secured to the lower part of bar 1 to which jaw 5 is also connected by a swinging link 7. It is a characteristic of this gripper that the jaw 5 is made to reach out relatively to jaw 6 to embrace the stock during the first part of its closing movement and then to swing sharply in towardthe jaw 6 during the final portion of its closing movement. This characteristic motion is produced by the cooperation of link 7 and a cam 8 with which the heel on the upper end of jaw 5 is held in contact by a spring, as shown in Fig. 1.. As thus far described the gripper is substantially like the disclosure in said patent.

The cam 8 is partially received in a recess in the adjacent wall of the bar l in which it is supported by a stem 12 the outer end of which is threaded and carries a nut 13 by which the cam can be clamped rigidly against the rear wall of its recess in bar 1.

Said wall is, in accordance with this invention, further recessed to receive a wedge 15, see Fig. 2, shown as split to embrace the stem 12 and bear against the rear face of the cam 8 adjacent to the stem. The bar 1 carries a set screw 16 in position to engage the head of wedge 15 and force it in the direction to project the cam outwardly and move the heel end of jaw 5 outwardly and its gripping end inwardly toward jaw 6. This gripper jaw adjustment by wedge 15 can be effected when nut 13 has been loosened. The nut 13 and set screw 16 fix the adjusting means 15 absolutely rigid in bar 1 and there is no chance of its working loose during use of the machine. When the gripping faces of the jaws have worn, or wear anywhere in the connections between jaw 5 and its closing cam, not shown, has lessened the closeness of approach of the jaws, the cam 8 can be set forward with accuracy and secured rigidly by the described manipulation of the nut, setscrew and wedge and the result can be absolutely relied upon. I

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a gripper mechanism, the combination with a jaw and a cotiperating jaw movable to effect gripping, of jaw moving means comprising a cam, a support for the cam, a stem extending from the cam through the support, a nut cotiperating with the stem and support to clamp the cam, a wedge adjustable between the cam and support, and means for holding the wedge in adjusted position.

2. Ina gripper mechanism, the combination with a jaw and a cooperating jaw movable to efiect gripping, of jaw moving means comprising a cam, a support for the cam, a wedge adjustable between the support and cam to control the projection of the cam, and means for relatively fixing the wedge and cam in adjusted relation.

v 3. In a gripper mechanism for lasting machines, the combination with a bar and a jaw fixed on the bar, of a jaw movably connected with the bar, a cam on the bar operative to assist in the closing of the movable jaw, and a wedge for adjusting the cam.

4. In a gripper mechanism for lasting machines, the combination with a bar and a jaw fixed on the bar, of a jaw movably connected with the bar, a cam on the bar operative to assist in the closing of the movable jaw, said cam having a stem projecting rear' wardly through the bar, a clamping nut on the stem and a wedge adjustable in the bar and against which the cam is clamped by the stem and nut.

5. In a gripper mechanism for lasting machines, the combination with a bar and a area jaw fixed on the bar, of a jaw =H1OV-tbly connected with the bar, a cam on the bar operative to assist in the closing of the movable jaw, said cam having a stem projecting rearwardly through the bar, a wedge arranged between the cam and bar and forked to engage the cam upon opposite sides of the stem, and means for securing the Wedge and the stem for holding the cam in di-ife'rent adj usted positions on the bar.

6. In a gripper mechanism for lasting machines, the combination with a bar and a jaw fixed on the bar, of a second j aw, a link connecting the second jaw. to the bar',a push'rod for moving the jaw toward the fixed in a path controlled in part by the link, a cam carried by the bar and in sliding relation to which the upper end of the movable jaw travels, means for securing the cam to the bar and a wedge adjustable to causethe .cam to project more or less from the har into the path of the jaw. v r

i in testimony whereo I have signed my name to this specification.

WARREN, G. GHESLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington, G, 

